Tape-measure.



T. W. HANRATH.

TAPE MEASURE.

APPLICATION FILED we. 24, 1908.

You. a. 8- ANDREW. 5. Guam m, FHOTO-LI'INOGRAPHERS. WASWNG se ate.

TAPE-MEASURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented .Nov. 23, 1909.

Application filed. August 24, 1908. Serial No. 449,957.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Trrnononn W. HAN- RATH, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inTape-Measures, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to tape measures.

Preparatory to a detailed description of the invention it may be statedthat heretofore it has been found practically impossible to produce atape measure which would neither stretch as a result of use nor shrinkas a result of the action of the moisture of the atmosphere.

Steel tape used for surveying and similar purposes is practically nonstretchable and non shrinkable but such a tape can not be employed bytailors for taking measurements of the person and for drafting patterns.A tape for tailors use must have great flexibility and a strip of fabrichas heretofore been found to be the only practical material from whichtapes could be made. But no fabric has been found which would neitherstretch nor shrink and most of the tapes heretofore made have inaddition to one or the other of these drawbacks shown a tendency tocrease or wrinkle with the result of permanently shortening the tape.

\Vith the above considerations in mind the object of the invention is toproduce a tape measure which shall be non shrinkable and nonstretchable, also to produce a tape measure which will not permanentlyacquire the small creases or wrinkles which tend to permanently shortena tape measure after it has been in use for a .considerable period.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tape of this characterwhereon the markings are plain and substantially indelible.

I obtain my objects in the manner illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a portion of the tape measureembodying my invention. One end is laid open to reveal the construction.Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section of the tape measure.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in both views.

' My improved tape measure consists in general of a sheath a and aninsert Z), the sheath being formed by folding over a strip of fabricupon itself and securing the edges by stitching a or other suitablemeans. This sheath consists of a compound fabric, the outer surfacebeing composed preferably of sateen or similar woven fabric and theinner surface being composed of rubber in a more or less pure state. Inother words, the sheath may be said to consist of a rubberized wovenfabric formed by impregnating or indurating one surface of the wovenfabric with rubber. V This compound fabric while susceptible tostretching action to a certain extent is non shrinkable, the presence ofthe rubber preventing shortening of the strip when subjected to theaction of moisture. The sheath strip is so folded as to bring therubberized surface upon the inside, and upon the outside is printed theordinary tape markings. As the exposed sateen or similar fabric is freefrom rubber on its exterior surface it .will take ordinary printers inkfrom ordinary metal type and the printing thus made is practicallyindelible. No special process is required to make the ink stickaforesaid stitching a. It is desirable that the stitching should alsosecure the ends of the insert to the ends of the sheath as indicated.

In the completed article it will be observed that the insert lies withina practically water proof cover, for the rubberized fabric of the sheathwill not permit the penetration of moisture through it and the stitchededge is also practically moisture proof. Linen itself will shrink to agreater or less extent when subjected to moisture but in a tape of myconstruction not only is the linen protected from moisture by thepractically moisture proof sheathing but it is further protected by thesizing with which it is covered. The tape is therefore practicallynon-stretchable and non-shrinkable.

Another advantage in this tape is that it can not acquire set wrinkles.The presence of the rubber on the inner surface of the sheath preventsthe sheath from receiving creases, and even if such creases aretemporarily made as a result of crumpling by l rubberized surfaceoutside, an insert conthe user, the rubber is yieldable and springs thesateen back into shape again with the result that the exterior is alwayssmooth and there is no take up or shrinkage due to wrinkling.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

A tape measurecomprising a sheath consisting of a strip of fabricrubberized on one side only and folded double with the unsisting of astrip of sized linen within the sheath and marginal stitching runningthe length of the measure and penetrating the edges of both the sheathand the insert.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two witnesses.

THEODORE W. HANRATH. Witnesses H WARD M. Cox, 0. J. CHRISTOFFEL.

